Effect of a blood culture collection bundle on decreasing the contamination rate.

In this study, we examined the effect of a bundled approach to blood collection for blood culture on decreasing contamination. Commensal organisms were considered contaminants on the basis of the clinical course if they were recovered from only a single blood draw (set) and if a positive result for two sets was not obtained within 72 hours. The main elements of the bundle were blood collection by venipuncture, skin preparation with a chlorhexidine alcohol swab, disinfection of culture bottles, and use of a sterile blood transfer device instead of the two-needle technique for inoculation.

Utility of the GerdQ questionnaire in detecting gastroesophageal symptoms with RA patients.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects multiple organ systems, including the esophagus. Moreover, one of the major side effects of methotrexate (MTX) is gastrointestinal disorders, which are said to affect medication adherence. We investigated the rate of MTX use, dosage, and the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) and oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relation to gastroesophageal (GE) symptoms, and whether they influence RA disease activity.

Legionella Pneumonia Undetected by Repeated Urinary Antigen Testing With Ribotest® Legionella.

This report presents a patient with pneumonia (LP), initially presented with fever and mild hypoxemia, with subsequent progression to severe pneumonia during hospitalization. Despite multiple negative urinary antigen tests using Ribotest , the diagnosis was confirmed via the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method of lower respiratory tract secretions. This case highlights the diagnostic limitations of Ribotest and emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic strategy, incorporating nucleic acid amplification tests or culture in suspected patients with LP.

A case report of a 14-year-old male patient with large vessel vasculitis following COVID-19.

Most reported cases of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have involved adults, with paediatric cases being rare. We present the case of a 14-year-old boy who developed LVV following COVID-19. Initially, he presented with fever and cough, and nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction testing confirmed COVID-19.

Current status and future perspective of coronary artery calcium score in asymptomatic individuals.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of death, and it is important to accurately estimate the cardiovascular events risk stratification even in asymptomatic patients. The coronary artery calcium score (CACS), which is quantitatively evaluated by electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated non-contrast chest computed tomography (CT) imaging, has been reported to be useful for cardiovascular event risk stratification in large studies. In the USA and Europe, guidelines recommend the use of the CACS in borderline or intermediate-risk asymptomatic individuals based on a high level of evidence.

Histological improvement of fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C who achieved a 5-year sustained virological response to treatment with direct-acting antivirals.

Background: The histological improvement in liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment has not been comprehensively investigated. Therefore, we assessed the histological changes in liver fibrosis among patients with hepatitis C who underwent long-term follow-up after achieving SVR to treatment with DAA.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 71 patients with hepatitis C who achieved SVR to treatment with DAA.

The effects of WWP1 overexpression on the golgi apparatus stress response and proteoglycan production in adipocytes.

White adipocytes are a major component of white adipose tissue (WAT) and help to maintain systemic metabolic homeostasis by storing energy and secreting adipokines. In mice deficient in the protein WWP1 (WW domain-containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1), oxidative stress in adipocytes increases but insulin resistance induced by obesity improves. However, the specific roles of WWP1 in adipocytes remain unclear.

Factors involved in gastroesophageal varix-related events in patients with hepatitis C virus-related compensated and decompensated cirrhosis after direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Aim: The incidence of and factors involved in gastroesophageal varix-related events in hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis patients, including decompensated cirrhosis, after direct-acting antiviral therapy are unclear.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter study using prospective data from 478 hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis patients treated with direct-acting antiviral therapy from February 2019 to December 2021 at 33 Japanese hospitals. Gastroesophageal varices were classified as F1 (small-caliber), F2 (moderately enlarged), or F3 (markedly enlarged) according to the Japanese criteria.

New protocol for contrast media reduction in atrial fibrillation ablation-planning CT with dual region of interest.

Introduction: Many patients with atrial fibrillation have impaired renal function, and therefore pre-operative CT for radiofrequency catheter ablation should minimize the use of contrast media. This study describes a dual-region-of-interest (D-ROI) protocol for the scanning of pulmonary veins and left atrium (PVs-LA) with less contrast media and optimized scan timing compared to the single-region-of-interest (S-ROI) protocol, without compromising image quality.

Methods: This study retrospectively included 100 patients who underwent PVs-LA CT between July 2019 and February 2022.

Comparative sensitivity of laboratory animals used for preclinical convulsion risk assessment to drug-induced convulsion.

Drug-induced convulsion is a serious concern in drug development, such that the convulsion liability of drug candidates must be evaluated in preclinical safety studies. However, information on the differences among species regarding their sensitivity to convulsions induced by convulsant drugs in humans remains limited. Here, we selected 11 test articles from several pharmacological classes and compared the sensitivities of three types of laboratory animal to convulsion.

Emphysematous pyelonephritis diagnosed by acute changes detected via computed tomography: A case report.

This is the first case report in which computed tomography (CT) images of a patient with emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) capture the time course of emphysema from onset to resolution through conservative treatment. To re-evaluate EPN, including refractory urinary tract infections, CT scans after 72 h might be helpful.

Association between the hypokalaemia index based on area over the serum potassium concentration curve and occurrence of acute kidney injury in patients administered liposomal amphotericin B.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and hypokalaemia are common adverse events after treatment with liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB).

Objectives: Because excess potassium (K) leakage occurs during renal tubular injury caused by L-AMB, measuring the decrease in rate of serum K concentration might be more useful to assess the renal impact of L-AMB than hypokalaemia identified from a one-point measurement. The effects of a decrease in K concentration and duration of hypokalaemia on AKI were investigated.

Influence of easing COVID-19 strategies following downgrading of the national infectious disease category on COVID-19 occurrence among hospitalized patients in Japan.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the influence of easing COVID-19 preventive measures following its downgrading to a common infectious disease on COVID-19 occurrence among hospitalized patients.

Methods: Nosocomial occurrence of COVID-19 was compared between periods with national infectious disease category 5 versus the preceding category 2 equivalent. Changes in the revised manual included a shorter duration of work restrictions for infected health care practitioners (HCPs); no work restriction for HCPs exposed to SARS-CoV-2 with a negative test on days 1, 3 and 5; discontinuation of universal pre-admission screening; and pre-emptive isolation of patients without screening.

Inhibition of the TIM-1 and -3 signaling pathway ameliorates disease in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis.

Members of the T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin (TIM) family, which is crucial for T-cell function, are implicated in autoimmunity. TIM-1 and -3 play distinct roles in autoimmunity, with TIM-1 acting as a costimulatory molecule and TIM-3 regulating Th1 responses. We investigated the therapeutic potential of anti-TIM-1 (RMT1-10) and anti-TIM-3 (RMT3-23) antibodies in an autoimmune arthritis model.

Additional prognostic impact of plaque characterization with on-site CT-derived fractional flow reserve in coronary CT angiography.

Background: On-site computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) is a feasible method for examining lesion-specific ischemia, and plaque analysis of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is useful for predicting future cardiac events. However, their utility and association on a per-vessel level remain unclear.

Methods: We analyzed vessels showing 50-90 % stenosis on CCTA where planned revascularization was not performed after CCTA within 90 days.

Safety of Janus kinase inhibitors compared to biological DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and renal impairment: the ANSWER cohort study.

Data on the safety of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) in patients with renal impairment are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the safety of JAKis compared to biological (b) DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and renal impairment. We used a multi-centre observational registry of patients with RA in Japan (the ANSWER cohort).

[Regulation of Aging and Lifespan by White Adipose Tissue].

Long-term caloric restriction (CR) is an effective intervention that improves whole-body metabolism, suppresses age-related pathophysiology, and extends lifespan. Although the beneficial effects of caloric restriction mediated by growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) have been extensively studied, the mechanisms independent of GH/IGF-1 remain largely unknown. In this review, we focus on these GH/IGF-1-independent mechanisms, with a particular emphasis on the role of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c).

Energy loss is related to CT fractional flow reserve progression in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Background: We aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of energy loss (EL) and baseline CT fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) computed using computational fluid dynamics to predict functional progression of coronary stenosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This single-center prospective study included 61 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean age, 61 years ±9 [SD]; 43 men) showing 20-70 % stenosis who underwent serial coronary CT performed at 2-year interval between October 2015 and March 2020. A mesh-free simulation was performed to calculate the CT-FFR and EL.

Difference in the impact of coinfections and secondary infections on antibiotic use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between the Omicron-dominant period and the pre-Omicron period.

Introduction: This study evaluated the effect of coinfections and/or secondary infections on antibiotic use in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Method: Days of therapy per 100 bed days (DOT) in a COVID-19 ward were compared between 2022 (Omicron period) and 2021 (pre-Omicron period). Antibiotics were categorized as antibiotics predominantly used for community-acquired infections (CAIs) and antibiotics predominantly used for health care-associated infections (HAIs).